Ian McShane, who plays Blackbeard in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean movie, joins the cast of Jack the Giant Killer, a modernized retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk fairy tale. It also stars Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer) and Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones).

The action fantasy-adventure will be directed by Bryan Singer (
Valkyrie, X-Men, The Usual Suspects), and also features Nicholas Hoult (
Clash of the Titans, A Single Man) in the title role as Jack and Bill Nighy (
Harry Potter) as the two-headed leader of the giants.

The story is about a farm boy who sets out to free a princess taken hostage by a giant, threatening the shaky peace between humans and giants.

McShane will play the King, not pleased with his daughter's choice of Jack, and Tucci portrays the King's villainous adviser.